Holiday tunes

Even though I’m not religious, I love Christmas music.

Since it’s only just over a week ’til Christmas (yes, believe it), I thought I’d share some of my fave Christmas tunes.

You’ll find an eclectic mix here. You won’t find choirs or crooning, though.

I’d love to share the music for free, but that’d be, ya know, illegal and all. I found some of the songs on last.fm, and I’ve included those links so you can listen to them there. One song can be downloaded for free, the haunting Huron Carol, sung in native Canadian Huron language by the Eskasoni Trio.

If the song is available on eMusic, I’ve linked it, because it’s cheaper to buy the songs (if you’re so inclined) from eMusic than iTunes. You can listen to 30-second clips on both sites. eMusic has an introductory offer where you can get 25 (if you’re in the UK) or 50 (in the US) tunes for free.

This list is by no means comprehensive, and there are a lot of Christmas faves missing (including some of my own faves).

But hopefully you will find some music here to put you in the holiday mood!

(And yes, apparently I really like God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen!)

Ancien Noël Provençal (Franz Liszt) – Frédéric Gevers (eMusic) (listen)

Away In The Manger – The Klezmonauts (eMusic)

Birjina gaztetto bat zegoen – Aquabella (eMusic)

A Canon For Christmas – Liona Boyd (eMusic) (listen)

Carol Of The Bells – Mulberry Lane (eMusic)

Carol of the Bells – Deana Carter (iTunes)

Carol of the Birds – Joan Baez (iTunes)

Christmas Time’s A Comin’ – various artists from Christmas Grass (eMusic)

Coventry Carol / Silent Night / O Holy Night– Mulberry Lane  (eMusic)

Dancing Angels – Armik (iTunes) (listen)

Deck The Halls – various artists from Christmas Grass (eMusic)

Entre Le Boeuf Et L’Âne Gris – Nicolas McComber (iTunes)

The First Noel /Mary Mary – Sarah McLachlan (iTunes) (listen)

For Unto Us a Child Is Born – The Roches (listen)

Gabriel’s Message – Sting (listen)

Gaudete – Mediaeval Baebes (eMusic) (listen)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan (eMusic)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Scott Williams (iTunes)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Deck The Halls – Tim Thompson (eMusic)

Go Where I Send Thee – A Cappella Angels (eMusic)

Holly Herald – Jethro Tull (eMusic)

Huron Carol – Crash Test Dummies (eMusic)

Huron Carol – Eskasoni Trio (free!)

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day – Sarah McLachlan (eMusic) (listen)

In Dulce Jubilo – Mediaeval Baebes (eMusic) (listen)

I Saw Three Ships – Sting (listen)

I Wonder as I Wander – Jewel (iTunes)

Jingle Bells – Gumbo Jass Band (eMusic)

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas – Joel Brown (eMusic)

Joy to the World – Klezmonauts (eMusic)

Let It Snow – Eddie Higgins (eMusic)

Linus and Lucy – Vince Guaraldi (eMusic)

Los Reyes Magos – Aquabella (eMusic)

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Rockapella (iTunes)

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – various artists from Christmas Grass (eMusic)

Sleigh Ride – various artists from Christmas Grass (eMusic)

Snow – Loreena McKennitt (eMusic)

‘Snowdrops’ from Floris – Woodbridge Flute Choir (eMusic)

The Snow Lay On The Ground – Kim Robertson (eMusic) (listen)

Spanish Carol – Liona Boyd (eMusic)

Star of Wonder – The Roches (eMusic) (listen)

Walking in the Air – Aled Jones (iTunes) (listen)

We Three Kings –  Ottmar Liebert (iTunes) (listen)

We Three Kings / What Child Is This – Tim Thompson (eMusic)